"Home sweet home" or "A happy home is all you need" – not quite the case when it comes to work, as we observe the discussion surrounding New Work, home office, and remote work. While working from home was once hailed as the future of work during Covid, the reality after the pandemic has been sobering. Working in an office does have its advantages – a sentiment mainly shared by employers, while many employees only concur to a limited extent.

At the core of the arguments in favor of the office is the belief that physical presence fosters team collaboration, as well as collaboration between teams. It's not just about cohesion but also about creativity and innovation, which are essential for a company's survival. Simply put, more happens when people sit face-to-face and talk – and listen.

Anyone who has participated in (many) Webex, Teams, and Zoom meetings can confirm that they are different from traditional meetings. It starts with trivial issues like technical glitches – poor sound, small video, dropped connections – and extends to the feeling of distance (which is indeed real). This has negative consequences for motivation and idea generation.

Being onsite at the company has undeniable advantages – provided that the conditions are right. That is, one must be able to reach the workplace easily – especially if one has to endure a potentially long commute. And one must feel comfortable at the workplace and in its surroundings. Only then can the employee develop new ideas and work on them with focus. Many companies are creating this new work environment with communal areas, retreat spaces (in individual offices), soundproofing, and coffee corners for essential informal exchanges.

The future lies in both – working remotely (mostly from home but also while on the move) and in the office. It's all about finding the right balance. At home, if the spatial and technical conditions are met, the employee can work on a defined project that he or she previously developed with colleagues in the office.
However, the modern work setting is often more compact, as New Work initiatives also prioritize space efficiency.

Should a company provide workspaces for 80% of its employees, only 60%, or somewhere in between? A consensus has not yet formed. And there probably won't be a universally applicable measure. At best, it will be specific to each company. One thing is clear: Fixed workstations are a thing of the past for most –and so are the family photos and potted plants on the desk, and the 100 Post-its on the screen. Everything must be stowed away in the rolling container or one's own locker by the end of the day. It's all part of the clean desk policy.

To ensure the employee has a workspace when coming to the office, he or she needs to book one in advance. The coordination effort, especially for team and department meetings – which are central reasons for being in the office – will increase. Because due to the lack of space, not everyone can come in at the same time.

It's also clear that leadership in the new work environment, spanning both office and home office, must change. Leading involves effective communication, even with remote employees, utilizing modern communication channels such as chats. Nonetheless, traditional methods like emails and phone calls remain essential.

The implications for future demand for office space remain entirely uncertain. Modern spaces located in city centers with good access to public transportation are likely to have a future. That's a given. However, the specific impact on office spaces will only become clear in two to three years – unless an economic downturn obscures this question.